Killjoys: Rebel heaven
by Nicki Fowl
Summary: I, Nicki Fowl, am proud to present Killjoys: Rebel Heaven
1. Chapter 1

"Look alive, sunshine.

109 in the sky

But the pigs won't quit.

You're here with me,

Doctor Death Defying,

I'll be your surgeon,

Your proctor, your helicopter,

Pumping out

The slaughtomatic sounds

To keep you live.

A system failure

For the masses,

Anti-matter

For the master plan.

Louder than God's revolver

And twice as shiny.

This one's for all you

Rock and rollers,

All you crash queens

And motor babies!

_**Listen up!**_

_**The future is bulletproof!**_

The aftermath is secondary

It's time to do it now

And do it loud,

Killjoys,

_Make some noise!_"

Killjoys: Rebel Heaven

Chapter 1

How the hell did this happen?

That's all I can say. How the hell did this happen? I have no idea where I am, well that's not entirely true, I have an idea but it's a bit of a stretch. Then again, I saw a familiar dragon just shooting like a rocket across the sky and in the five minutes since I got wherever the hell I am, I nearly died six times.

But I guess no matter where the hell I am, right now, it seems that these people, and beasts and monsters and whatever else, need me.

Don't ask me why I think this, after all, what can I do?

But there is something that tells me different, a voice that's saying, "A man is only limited by two things; his pride and his will."

Maybe this is crazy.

Maybe it isn't.

But there's one thing I know.

Whatever I do, I will give it my all.

I guess I'll rewind a bit, go back some to how this began. After all, there might be some clues to how the hell this happened to me in the first place. That and I might have been going too fast.

When, from what I can gather, it all started was this morning. I was late for college, so since my parents weren't there to stop me and I was desperate, I decided to ride my bike. Hey, it's an hour and 15 minute walk from my house to the college, and I had half that to get there on time, cut me some slack!

Anyway, I managed to make it in time and locked up my bike on the bike rack, running like hell up the stairs for the third floor. As I got into class, the boredom of a Monday started to set in, sapping my energy…

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Michael slid into the seat, resisting the urge to slip his backpack under his head and fall asleep. College, unlike high school, wasn't free, and despite what his parents said, it was obvious he'd never hear the end of it if he failed, but doing the work was something he needed to keep up on if he wanted to keep going, but, back to the class.

Math, the worst of his subjects, it wasn't that he was slow, far from it from his teachers. He was supposed to be extremely bright; math just didn't always come very easy. Perhaps it was the step skipping he did at the beginning, shaky foundations lead to a shaky building, but that didn't matter at the moment.

The teacher gave a lecture, and Michael hadn't brought his book, so he couldn't hide his face behind it to use his IPod, not that he was ignorant to the fact that he shouldn't but it was those small things that were hard to resist. He focused as much as he could, when he heard something. It was a small voice in his head. He wasn't crazy; he heard voices all the time. Hell, he even would talk with the characters from his video games and his book projects from time to time. This was somewhat different. This time, it didn't seem like it was a voice that he'd created.

Have you ever tried talking to yourself? It's somewhat pointless, because when you speak, you already know what you're going to say, because it's coming _from_ you. This wasn't like that, Michael couldn't tell what the voice was going to say beforehand, and that sent a bell off in his head.

'_Help… Can you hear me…? You have too…'_

That was strange, but he went to his next class quickly, more concerned with being on time than voices that spoke to him.

…

But…

He couldn't shake thinking about that voice. It was familiar, and he knew it, but he couldn't quite place where he'd heard the voice before. Despite needing to focus on school, his thoughts wandered, a small part of his brain trying to piece the mystery together while the rest of it focused on class.

The time was 10:28

Michael got to class, but now the voice was at the forefront of his mind. Where had he heard it before? _'Was it telepathic communication? Did someone try to contact me through my thoughts? Most people don't think that is possible…'_ then he smiled to himself, _'…good thing that I'm not most people, then.'_

It was true, what most people put off as just fiction, he'd decipher and take apart, pretty much automatically, seeing how it might be something real, how the science his society depended on could be used to bring the fantastic to the realistic world. It was like this every day.

But now he had to think about class, and once more had to fight falling asleep. Though this time, he had something to occupy his time and keep him attentive. _'I know I've heard that voice somewhere before, but from where and from who would be the questions I need answered. What's more, why would someone want my help? What can I do, besides talk their ear off? Unless they actually had some resources or need my thought processes themselves, then the situation might be one I can aid. But the question still remains, who is it?'_

Class proceeded unhindered, and once it was over, he left, actually having time to relax, since he didn't have any more classes.

It's too bad that the thought creases forming on his head wouldn't go away, then.  
_'Why is this nagging me so much?'_  
_'Because I know this voice from somewhere.'  
'But the where is the question. I know the voice is familiar, but why can I not place the source of it? This is the first real life mystery I've been a part of, and I intend to take it apart like paper in a shredder.'_

The time was 11:10

Michael grabbed his lunch bag and proceeded to the classroom sized 'cafeteria' the campus had. It was disgraceful. Not that it was covered in filth or anything like that, it was perfectly clean, but most of the computer labs, hell _all_ the class rooms in the building had more space than in here. The campus wasn't even in charge of its own vending machines. That was a bit stupid, really.

But, regardless of the absurdity, it was irrelevant the size as long as they had a working microwave and food for sale in the school store.

Michael ate his lunch in silence, his food disappearing quickly as he ate without thought, his mind wandering. Some ideas came together in his head. Some of them were familiar, others not as much. But he couldn't make that voice leave his mind at peace.

Then he heard it again.

'_Please…Hear me…we need your help…'_

Now he was sure that it wasn't imagined. He would most likely have added a foul word in there just to throw people off; it was a habit that he hadn't shaken. But now he knew that the voice was real, so he couldn't help but wonder if it worked both ways…

'_Yes, you asshole, it does! Now are you going to help or not?!'_

THAT seemed more like he thought it up, but still…

Michael shook it off. Something didn't seem right. There was a sense in the back of his head that made him want to shy away from this strange set of circumstances.

And there was another that wanted him to jump in, not just to save lives, but to experience the adventure that he craved so much.

So, he sat at a computer screen, and when in doubt, type.

_The long, dark hallway stretched before him like the green mile of an old prison…_

No, that just seemed wrong.

…_like the inside of an enormous snake…_

Ew, now that was just a bad image and didn't fit the picture in his head.

…_like a silent fart in a crowded elevator…_

Where the hell did that come from?! Then he remembered, Yu Yu Hakusho, the Rando arc, Kuwabara to Urameshi before the first fight of the third round, when Urameshi was trying to guess which of the contestants Rando was. With that little brain fart, Michael decided to pack in the author work for the day, and started walking.

'…_let the door be written between the two truths…'_

He froze. This was another new voice, making three. This one was odd, it seemed totally new, and it sent chills across Michael's back. He started moving again.

'…_let one reality be exchanged for another…'_

Now he felt like breaking into a run, but instead forced himself to slow his walk down a bit, so that he could focus on what was being said.

The newest voice, unlike the others, seemed to have a sense of disembodiment, unlike the other two which seemed to come from some_one_; this seemed to come from some_thing_, some_thing_ Michael really didn't want to meet at the moment. The next thing to happen really gave him the chills.

'…_midday to midnight…'_

"…and midnight to midday…"

'…_at this auspicious point of change, balanced between our two worlds…'_

"…all the laws of nature are now obeyed and the requirements fulfilled…"

'…_the door now opens for the one…'_

"…that answers the call…"

That was seriously freaking creepy. Not only were new people popping up in his head, now he was speaking along with them in some weird spell that he had no idea of what it would do to him! Michael started to break into a run.

'…_the path is only open to he who chooses to walk it. Thus, it is your decision. Do you choose this path?'_

"I do…"

And he tripped.

As his body started to fall forward, he saw something that lay on the ground in front of him. A tear, no, a crack that seemed to form on the floor that he hurtled to. It had an edge like an infinite rainbow, constantly shifting colors and making a beautiful but mind-bending display. Within the border of the rainbow crack, a distorted image like it was in a badly focused glass. He couldn't tell what it was on the other side, but it did NOT look pleasant. Finally, he caught sight of a thin fabric that seemed to be wrapped around the crack on the ground. It was a thin line wrapping across the crack, and it seemed to be made of words, like a spell given shape and released to keep the 'door' open, or maybe to hold it together. It looked very fragile, and so, with one last ounce of sense, Michael twisted just enough to fall on the crack without touching the 'word thread'.

And as he fell into it, one thought crossed his mind before unconsciousness.

'_This seems awfully familiar somehow…'_

…

Darkness…

That was all that was to be seen. Nothing but pure darkness all around him. Michael got up, or down, or stood in the pitch black void that he had fallen into. He walked around, looking for a bit, and trying to find something, _anything_, he could see other than darkness. But there was nothing to be found. The very ground he stood on was invisible, yet he _knew_ he was standing on something because he could feel it.

This whole area seemed weird. For one, it was pitch black, no light source, no texture to the ground, _nada_. Second, he could see himself and his things fine, despite having no source of light whatsoever. And third, there was something that was nagging him at the back of his mind, something that had been mentioned earlier that he couldn't quite remember. The thing was, it seemed important, like it would explain everything. What was it?  
_'I believe the line you are looking for is 'let one reality be exchanged for another'.'_

Michael jumped. '_What was that?!'  
'Who, not what, you simpleton, good god, I'm supposed to pin my hopes on __you__? What a sad state of affairs I have fallen to.'_

He looked around, but Michael couldn't find the source of the voice. _'Don't tell me someone else is taking up a bunk in my mind. Any more personalities and I might as well be schizophrenic.'_  
_'Hardly, I'm not 'in your head' as you put it. I'm right here, in front of you.'  
'Where? I can't see you.'  
'Tch, fantastic, it seems you and I are not destined to meet yet.'  
'Yet, what do you mean yet?! Where am I, what is going on?!'  
'Oh, come now, Michael. You of all people should know where you're going. You are attached to it, after all, quit playing stupid!'  
'I'm not playing stupid, stupid! Where am I, where am I going, how am I supposed to go anywhere when I can't even see where I am?! How do you know my name?!'  
'Well then, perhaps there __is__ a good reason why you can't see me after all. Well, no matter, you best get going.'  
'Going where?!'  
'You'll see. Now go, it's not good to keep the ones who called you waiting.'_

Before he could say anything else, Michael felt himself trip again, only it was more of a 'trip' than actually tripping. His center of gravity flipped, and he fell into the darkness toward another hole like the one before, but with a few differences. One, the thin line of words holding it together seemed to border it this time instead of go right across, and two, the image was much clearer, but it was changing so much that it was no wonder he couldn't tell what it was before, the image wasn't coherent.

Then he fell through and landed on his face.

…

"Waugh!"

He fell into the dirt headfirst, landing with his legs in the air for a moment before they fell, to allow him to try and pull his face off the ground, his mouth full of dirt and grime.  
"Aw, yuck! Ptui! That's just great, I talk with a strange voice that says its right in front of me, says a bunch of weird things, and then drops me on my face somewhere I don't know! Great, now I'm in a strange land I…don't…know…"

His rant tapered off as he watched a large purple scaly _something_ just flit through the air over his head. It started to breathe fire on the charred and abused landscape. Michael climbed a hill to get a look of the land.

To say what he saw was insane would be an understatement.

(Song of the moment: Hypnotica by Two Steps from Hell)

Before him lay a destroyed land, ruined and corrupted by the fires of war. A forest lay burning to the east, creatures of all kinds, even those he was told didn't exist, sprinting for safety. To the west lie a castle, shattered and broken, sagging in all its stone glory like a wounded boar, catapults and battering rams hammering away at the walls, soldiers using weapons of all kinds to kill and burn and pillage the surrounding homes. To the north, icy mountains, plagued by flying beasts and contraptions from every age of man, and some not even of man, dancing the ballet of death upon the cloud-breaking stage of the ice and rock mountain tops. In the center of it all was a field, where soldiers waged war of all kinds. Hideous beasts and menacing automatons fought against their own kind and others, fighting some force that Michael could not pick out from his distant vantage point. When he looked back, he saw desert, and more mountains, but unlike their frosty brethren, these mountains were red with the dust of high heat and lack of water.

When he turned back, the war in the field seemed to take a turn for the worse for one side. A large demonic boar took to the battleground, and started to tear into all soldiers left and right, ripping them to shreds and spreading blood, oil, and parts on either side of his warpath, like a walking, snorting, charging mower of death. Then the boar was knocked on his side by a large boulder, only for the boulder to _unroll_ and start to pummel the helpless giant boar. Somehow, the beast escaped to live another day, and the ones that beat on it returned to the fight with renewed vigor, tearing into their enemies with vengeance unlike any other.

A large ship fired a rocket at the purple creature, which shot _lightning_ from its tiny maw to destroy the projectile, and then started shooting flame at the aircraft, which started to in turn duck and weave to get away. Another aircraft, this looking very much like an engorged missile with a cockpit, fired a laser that missed the dragon, who dove down as fast as it could to get away. Then a third, very, _very_ large craft descended from the skies with a familiar mustachioed logo on the side, targeting the two other aircraft and then firing large amounts of projectiles. Bullets, rockets, and even lasers were fired at the two enemy craft, both of which nimbly evaded the weapons and returned with weapons of their own, only for them to be caught in a yellow energy shield.

The castle seemed to be on the verge of a collapse, and just as a battering ram was about to deliver the final blow, a blue field surrounded the castle and pushed away everything and everyone trying to take it down before dissipating. A diagram appeared in the air over the castle, and then a column of fire shot down, appearing to incinerate the castle, only for the castle to continue to be standing, black particles dissipating from an unusual field that was projected around the building at the last minute.

Michael stood in awe of all of this, watching as one creature turned on another, as goliaths fought with tooth and nail against giant robotic monstrosities, hearing the sounds of countless lasers and arrows and swords clashing against armor, metal, and flesh in a cacophony of destruction, and he became a spectator of an unearthly war, a war that people would dream to see, but fear to see happen in the real world.

It looked like a war of gods of every breed.

He took hold of a flag embedded into the rock next to him, trying to catch his breath which left him for some reason. His eyes grew wide; he could feel the fear of death and pain invading his mind, even this far from the fighting.

And it scared the hell out of him.

(End of song)

When a rocket streaked over his head, nearly burning him in the process, he took that as a cue to head for cover. He sprinted, looking for cover as the war started to spread its seeds in his direction. Troops and crafts met their foes upon the dusty peaks that Michael had appeared on, ignorant to his panic and more concerned with the death of the enemy than the life of one teenager. Michael took to the rocks like a goat, moving as fast as possible, even going on four limbs to keep away from all the weapons that flew his way. He did grab a stray knife that nearly impaled his skull, making sure to have some way of defending himself if he was mistaken for an enemy. Then he saw it – an overhang among the stones, not very large, but large enough for a skinny teen with nothing but a stray knife and the clothes he wore.

Michael scrambled for it, taking a step back when he nearly got impaled on a musket shot before heading forward again. He ducked, bobbed, and weaved around the men and women fighting to the death around him, doing his best to avoid catching eyes or drawing attention. One man, with an arm covered in scales, got impaled by a spear and fell right in front of Michael's path. Michael saw this, and caught his eye.

He nearly gave. The pleading look that man had made him want to take the head off of whoever had done that, but he was too close to his goal to stray now. But he couldn't leave the man behind to suffer a slow death, or a more brutal one. So, Michael took his hand, the left one covered in scales, and started to drag him toward the hiding spot. Once the two of them got under the rock, Michael was able to breathe again.

The man with the scaly arm groaned in pain, and Michael crawled over to his side.  
"Shh! I don't want to get found!"  
"Please, help me."  
"I, I don't know how! Keep quiet, I want to live, with _all_ of my limbs attached preferably!"  
"P-please help me. I'm scared, I don't want to die."

That struck a nerve. _'This guy is in the same boat as me.'_ Michael bit his lower lip, thinking. _'Well, I read in a novel where someone was run through with an arrow, and then they snapped it in half. That would be a good idea here; it would make it easier to pull out. But I need to make it break clean so it doesn't splinter, or worse. How do I-'_

Then he remembered the knife. With his left hand, he got a firm grip on the soldiers right, "Alright, I have an idea. I'm pretty sure it'll work, but it might take a second. Just hold on, I'm right here."  
"Thank you, thank…you…"  
"Hey, HEY, WAKE UP!"

The soldier had passed out. Michael worked quickly, using the teeth of his knife to chew a slit on the shaft of the spear, enough to get a clean break without any splinters, and no complications. Taking the spear in both hands, he tried to get it to break, but it wouldn't budge. He used his foot, applying some heavy pressure to help snap it, and the spear gave. He flipped the soldier over, whipped out the other half of the spear, and then proceeded to take his shirt and cut it into a long strip to wrap around the man's midsection, and cover the wound. Now the bleeding was stopped, and he wasn't in immediate danger of dying, hopefully.

Michael dragged him closer to the point in the rock where it met the ground, hiding him from danger, and leaving him the more exposed one. It seemed like hours passed by around the pair, the sounds and emotions of war going on around them without end. A few bodies fell near the hiding spot, but those were dead before they ever hit the ground. A couple of times entire parties of soldiers came by, and Michael had to scramble further under the stone or risked being discovered and pulled out, possibly even captured and killed.

As time went by, the fighting moved on. It went deep into the hot mountains of this strange land, and as the last flag disappeared over the horizon, Michael let forth a sigh of relief. Now they were out of immediate danger, but a new question arose. When the soldier's teammates and allies were unable to find his body among the dead, would they come looking for him? Would someone come looking here and find his bandaged form, and him with his knife? Panic felt like it was about to rise in Michaels throat and project itself on the dirt. He had to get out of here, who knows what might happen to him if he got caught. So he started to rise, gripping his knife tightly in one hand.

The soldier woke up. His head, a bunch of dark skin and even darker hair with several scars, looked at him with blue eyes that touched the soul. Michael slumped, he couldn't abandon this man right now, and he needed help. Maybe getting him to his allies could get some answers, at the very least a warm bed and a meal or two. Michael got down on his knees.  
"Hey, you sleep well?"  
"Yeah. Thanks for the help. If you hadn't been there to get the spear out I might have…"  
"Don't think about that, please. I don't want to be reminded of what went on while you were knocked out."  
"Squeamish?"  
"No, well, not really. It was the cries of all those people, of all the dead and dying in their final moments. I saw so much blood, and I was hidden here under a rock with you. I can even smell the rot in the corpses now. Its, its…"  
"…horrifying, isn't it?"  
"Yes."  
"That's war, no honor, no real reward, just an excuse to make a thousand men kill a thousand other men for no reason than their leaders say so."  
"If you look down on war, why fight in one?"  
"I may not like it, but I'll be damned if I sit around waiting for someone to take my little girl away if I can do something to stop it."

There was a silence after those solemn words. It seemed this man was ready to die for his child, to keep her safe. That was a determination that felled countless evils, as Michael had read.  
"So, what's your name?"  
"I am Raziel, just a humble foot soldier. If I may be so bold, I'd like to know the name of the one who saved me, so that I could thank him properly. So, who are you?"  
"Okay, I'm…"

Michael thought for a second. Would it be a good idea to give out his real name? He knew nothing about the laws of the strange world he appeared in, or of the power giving a name would have held over you, so…  
"Let's just say I am a friend."  
"Cautious one, aren't you, very well, thanks for saving my life, friend."  
"Don't worry; I did what needed to be done."

Michael took the half of the spear with the blade, the part that had been stuck inside Raziel, and started moving.  
"Where are you going, my friend?"  
"I need to get moving. I have to find out where I am, and you need to get back to your friends in the army."

Raziel laughed, "I have no friends among those brutal killers."  
"Just the same, you need to get back to them if you want to go home."  
"Yes, I suppose you're right."

Raziel tried to stand, but his feet gave way under him and Michael caught him before any more damage could be done.  
"You got hurt more than I thought. This is bad, we need to find a way to move you without hurting you any more than you already are."  
"I'm fine, really."  
"Liar."

Raziel let loose his warm, heartfelt laughter once more. "Ha! Ah, I needed that."  
"What was so funny."  
"Oh, you just reminded me of an old friend."

Michael looked around, searching for anything that he could use to carry Raziel across the desert-like mountains. He saw a chariot with a broken wheel, a horse stuck between rocks by rubble, and a stray gear, one that looked like it might work as a replacement…

The gears in his mind started grinding away, and he looked at the spear piece he was holding in his left hand. It wasn't very long, but the other half…  
"What are you thinking, friend?"  
"I think I have an idea. Pass me the long chunk of handle next to you, yes that piece, and just wait a little bit. I got something that might carry us both across this blazing wasteland.

With a two and a half piece of wood in both hands, his knife and spear point safe with Raziel, he set to work. He calmed down the horse with some soothing words, and with the beast relaxed, he started trying to loosen the rocks holding it in place. He rolled a fairly large stone at the top into position, the shaft of the spear below it. Making some calculating motions in the air, he gave the rock a quick shove, and it fell, landing on the wood just right so it wouldn't fall, but neither would the lever he improvised snap, and the debris shift just enough to fall apart and free the horse.

Raziel looked a bit surprised. _'That was very clever. I would never have thought of using something like that, that boy certainly has a bright brain inside his skull.'_

Then Michael, with the horse's help, set to work getting the broken wheel off the chariot. He wiggled the already loose wheel a bit, and when it was loose enough, he got the horse moving, making the already weak wheel snap from the surprise of the yank from the horse.

Rolling the gear into place, he used a wall of stone nearby to help get the gear over his head, and then he lowered it gently onto the spoke. The gear fit perfectly, and then with some heavy rocks and an hour of waiting, the new wheel was finally in place and the horse was hooked up to the repaired chariot, with some instruction from Raziel.

Raziel took hold of Michael's shoulders as he carried him over. He placed his new friend in the chariot, being careful to make it so he wouldn't fall out, and then he took the reins.  
"Do you know how to drive a chariot?"  
"I think so. The horse responds to pulls from the reins. I pull the left one, it goes left, I pull right, and it goes right. Snapping the reins gets us going, and then pulling on both reins makes the horse stop."  
"You seem very knowledgeable for your age."

"I like to read," he said, and then he snapped the reins, setting the horse in motion for the now empty valley…

As they descended into the valley, Michael asked his friend a few questions.  
"So, where are your friends?"  
"They're in the castle to the west."  
"So you were part of the defending army I take it?"  
"Yes, _look out keep your eyes on the road_!"

A sharp turn avoided a collision with a fallen giant robot spider.  
"Sorry!"  
"Don't apologize, keep your eyes forward! I thought you said you could drive a chariot!"  
"I said that I thought I could! I don't get much opportunity to practice!"

After a few more close calls, with night now falling around them, they arrived at the castle. The guards at the front lowered their weapons, which seemed to have a lot of variety, but stopped when they noticed Michael carrying Raziel on his shoulders.  
"Hey, it's Raziel!"  
"Hello, Begralo, it's good to see you."

The other three soldiers escorted Raziel inside: a dragon man, a talking tiger, and a bronze robot. The human one named Begralo stayed back to thank Michael for bringing Raziel home.

Michael shied away from it, "It was nothing."  
"Nothing? We thought that he was dead! His little girl will be so relieved to find out her father is okay. We owe you for this."  
"You don't owe me anything."  
"Liar, come on in, let me buy you a drink, you deserve one for what you did tonight!"

Michael, helpless before the oppressing personality of Begralo, was herded into the castle. As he entered, he noticed a familiar symbol. It looked like a dragon, but all the pieces were not connected, and the head of the dragon was very familiar.

It was a triangle constructed of three smaller triangles stacked into a flat pyramid, with a triangle shaped opening in the center.

'_The tri-force, that's the Zelda royal family crest. That can't be, but if it is, then…'_

'…_where I am…'_

'…_is Hyrule.'_


	2. Chapter 2

"Look alive, sunshine.

109 in the sky

But the pigs won't quit.

You're here with me,

Doctor Death Defying,

I'll be your surgeon,

Your proctor, your helicopter,

Pumping out

The slaughtomatic sounds

To keep you live.

A system failure

For the masses,

Anti-matter

For the master plan.

Louder than God's revolver

And twice as shiny.

This one's for all you

Rock and rollers,

All you crash queens

And motor babies!

_**Listen up!**_

_**The future is bulletproof!**_

The aftermath is secondary

It's time to do it now

And do it loud,

Killjoys,

_Make some noise!_"

(Na Na Na by My Chemical Romance plays as intro)

Chapter 2

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Michael's mind swirled with this information. _'My god, I landed in the kingdom of Hyrule. How did this happen? What was that spell that brought me here? Then again, how do I know for a fact I'm __in__ Hyrule? This could be one of any number of dimensions. I don't even know how many dimensions there are! So, I guess this means I'm still lost.'_

Maybe not, because something was bothering him immensely, _'What was that line in the spell? It's on the tip of my tongue. What was it, 'Midday to midnight', no that's not it, 'at this auspicious point of change', no._

Then, like a bolt of lightning, it struck him what the line was, _'let one reality be exchanged for another.'_ He started to decipher its meaning.

'_Well, the meaning of the line is obvious. It means that the one concept of what is real and what is not in exchange for another set, and that in turn would mean I'm in a reality that I was not born into. If this was exchanged, then I would need to know what the reality was, right? Not necessarily, but perhaps that is the case. If that is,'_ he looked around himself, seeing people with long pointed ears and several other strange creatures, _'if that is the case, then I would need to be acquainted with it, at the very least know some of the laws and pieces of the world to construct an image of what it looks like. Of course, there is a third explanation for everything that's going on. I'm dreaming. But I doubt that.'_

During his little chariot run, his hand was grazed by a rock the makeshift wheel had thrown into the air. He looked at the mark on his hand left by the sharp stone. _'In a dream people aren't supposed to feel pain. I may have thought that I was different in that aspect, but now I'm sure that's not true. The rock hurt when it cut me, and that means this isn't a dream.'_

'_So, if I know some of the laws and parts and bits and bobs of the world, then I have a reality, and if that was exchanged for my old one, I'm in a strange world either of my own making or of someone else's that I decided to fill in the blanks for.'_

'_Or…'_

'_I can't shake the feeling that I'm overlooking something important, something that would set the truth of this in stone. I must assume nothing at the moment. That is the safest action; maintain anonymity and neutrality until I get some information. Speaking of which…'_

Michael looked at Begralo, "So, this is Hyrule castle, huh?"  
"You bet, have you not heard of Hyrule castle?"  
"Oh of course, I'm just unfamiliar with the lands."  
"You must not be from around here."  
"You could say that."  
"Well, we don't get many foreigners out here in Hyrule."  
_'Damn, I'm already tripping up at the first hurtle!'_  
"Of course, that was before this war started. Now we get all kinds of strangers."

Print, file, and save; the war has led to an increase in foreigners. _'Whew, that was a close one.'_  
"So, this war has led to more unusual beings in your lands, hmm?"  
"Like you would not believe."  
"Really?"

Begralo removed his shining helm, revealing long pointed ears, and then he grew solemn and dark, like a man surrounded by the very things that he fears, "I have seen many things in my life, but I have seen far more in the short time of this war than in all the years I've lived. Dragons and beasts that walk like men, swords that can walk talk and shoot beams of light, things that seemed to crawl right from my nightmares. And those, shape-shifters," he shivered, "they aren't natural. We've had to deal with so many duplicates of the people we know and love, one of my friends thought their wife had murdered me and killed her, only for the corpse to get up and fly away in a new form. Sometimes I feel I can't tell my friends from my enemies with those, those, _things_ walking around in our forces and in the castle. It's a living hell."

Then he bounced back, like nothing had happened, scaring the crap out of Michael, "Well, why don't we go get that drink, hmm?" _'What the hell was that? This guy's got a personality like a rubber ball!'_

They finally got to the tavern, taking a table, and Begralo called over a waitress. "Oi! Two beers!"  
"I don't drink alcohol."  
"Oh, on second thought, make that second beer an ice water!"  
"Yes sir, right away sir!"  
_'I may want to be careful, but I don't intend to let someone get me drunk and have me spill everything.'_

Begralo struck up a conversation, "So, what's your name?"  
"I prefer to keep that to myself."  
"Come on, man, how am I supposed to talk to you if you don't have a name?"  
"That's your problem, I prefer to stay in the shadows."  
"Alright then, where are you from?"  
"Oh, somewhere."  
"You really like to be vague, don't you?"  
"I like to play things safe. Information is power, you know."  
"Paranoid, aren't you?"  
"I like to think I'm 'well-guarded' from the kind of attacks a shield doesn't protect you from."  
"Use magic, do you?"  
"No, not really."

The waitress brought their drinks. While Michael sipped his wooden cup gently, Begralo took a huge swig of his beer, draining half the flagon in one go.  
"You know, if you drink like that all the time, you'll die of alcohol poisoning."  
"Brr, don't say stuff like that, it makes me think you're a sadist or something. Wait, you're not a sadist, are you?"  
"No, I am not. I get no joy out of pain."  
"Thank the goddesses; you had me worried for a second."

Michael finished his drink quietly and then got up to leave.  
"Hey, where are you going?"  
"I should get moving, staying in one place for too long is never a good idea."  
"Sit down! At least stay long enough to eat something!"  
"I really would rather-"  
"Oi! Waitress! What've you got ready to eat?"  
"Well, we have some roasted Cucco that hasn't been sitting for very long. It should still be good."

Roasted Cucco, that was like saying roasted chicken, and if the smell was anything to go by, it was still very much fresh and tasty. Michael still felt like it would be smarter to get moving, but when his stomach growled at him, the waitress even helped Begralo convince him back to the table for some food.

Michael sat, eyeing the various people in the bar. It probably wouldn't hurt to eat something before he got going, and when he thought about it, he realized he didn't even have anywhere to go. There could be all kinds of creatures in the woods and the valleys of this place, and it would be much smarter to move when the sun was up than in the middle of the night, when visibility was poor and it who knows what went out on the prowl for an easy meal.

When the food came, his mouth watered a bit. It was an enormous bird, big enough to feed three people, and filled with stuffing and several different spices, with a heavenly brown gravy drizzled over the top. The moment the plate touched down and the waitress was out of range, Michael dug into that bird with gusto. Even Begralo was impressed, and a little surprised, by how quickly Michael went to demolish his food, that first bite making him realize how hungry he really was.

The waitress gone, Begralo tried to make Michael slow down a bit so he didn't choke. Once he managed to eat his fill, and most of the bird, he laid back and rubbed his stomach. Begralo decided to take this opportunity to get something to eat himself, and maybe chat more comfortably with him.  
"So, I take it you liked the food?"  
"Oh yes, after all that happened today, it's nice to have something warm in my stomach and a safe place to relax in."  
"Really?"  
"Something tells me you want to know where I was and how I met your friend Raziel. Am I far off?"  
"Not in the slightest."

So Michael told him some of what happened. He didn't mention how he got into the desert-like mountains, which Begralo told him was Gerudo Valley, but he did mention how he was caught in the battle, how he tried to find cover, and how he rescued Raziel from a spear in his side and the trip from the valley by chariot.

When he finished, there was a bit of silence except for Begralo taking his share of Cucco meat. Once he swallowed, he put down his utensils, took a drink, and then clapped.  
"Bravo, my fine friend, bravo. If it wasn't for you bringing in Raziel like a sack of potatoes, I wouldn't have half believed your story myself. You got some real ingenuity in that head of yours."  
"The right parts were there at the right time, I got lucky."  
"All the luck in the world ain't worth a thing without the brains to put it to work and you have that in spades. And you are very brave to boot."  
"I doubt that."  
"Are you kidding, I'm surprised you aren't getting invited to Hylian Castle right now for a medal."

As if his words were magic, a messenger came into the tavern. He came to the table and looked straight at Michael. "Are you the one who braved the fires of war to rescue the soldier Raziel?"  
"I am."  
"He is."

He handed him a scroll, and Michael opened it, "The princess requests your presence at Hylian Castle for an award ceremony. This scroll is a certificate of authenticity from the princess herself."

Then he left. Michael sighed, rolling up the scroll, "You were saying?"  
"Hey, I didn't know!"  
"I guessed that much."  
"Raziel must have appealed to the princess for this."  
"Yeah, well I'm just glad that little messenger told me what the scroll means."  
"Why is that."  
"Well…I can't read Hylian."

Begralo laughed, "Is that all? I was expecting you to say something really freaky."  
"Like what."  
"Like 'I hate award ceremonies' or something."  
"Yes, well, I'd better get going."  
"I'm coming with."  
"Why is that?"  
"It's not often you get to attend an award ceremony first-hand. And you might need me to help you translate any Hylian text you come across. Plus, you don't even know how to get to the castle."  
"Oh, right."

Secretly Michael was glad Begralo caught that 'mistake'. If he'd managed to get straight to Hylian Castle without getting lost, people might start asking questions, very awkward questions with even more awkward answers.

So Begralo guided Michael through the city center, and Michael couldn't help but notice the strange stares some of the people were giving him. Then he remembered that his ears were curved and were nowhere near as long as a Hylian's. Begralo notice the looks to.  
"Why are they staring at you?"  
"Did you not notice my ears?"  
"What, whoa, okay, now I get it."

The rest of the journey was made in silence. When they got to the main gates, the guards blocked the passage, but with a few words from Begralo, and showing off the certificate, they allowed him to pass.

Begralo turned around at the doors, "Well, this is it, I trust that you won't get lost in the castle."  
"If I do, you can point the way."  
_'Not like that will happen, anyway.'_  
"Um, well, I've never been inside Hylian Castle."  
"Well someone can help us if we get lost, right?"  
"Yeah, right. Okay, let's go."

This time, Michael led the way, the duo slowly ascending the stairs. As they reached the doors, they opened, revealing the elaborate building within. When the doors were open, the two could see the main hall and throne room.

Across the hall, sitting upon the throne, a princess. She wore a beautiful tiara and a long white dress with a gold edge along the bottom. Upon her right was another princess, this one in long dark clothing with her hair done up, as opposed to the other princess's long unrestrained locks. Upon her left a Hylian in green clothing, with the handle of a sword extending past his right shoulder. Only the center figure was standing, the other two sat on chairs made of wood, which clashed with the extravagant yet destroyed hall.

The hall, Michael could see this hallway was meant to be extravagant. A red carpet stretched its length, golden frills along the edges. Large marble columns stretched to the roof, enormous round pillars of white stone, needing no adornment to show pure beauty. The arched roof of the hall hung overhead like the belly of a great white snake. For a moment, Michael could actually see this hall in its prime, with the princess at the heart and extravagant royal decorations all around.

But now…

The windows were covered in wood, metal and walls of energy. Parts of the hall had fallen and been hastily repaired, some of the white stone yet to be picked up and disposed of. Dozens of monitors and consoles were spread across the sides of the hall, as well as weapons and their stands of every age experienced, and some that were yet to come. Wires extended back and forth across the hall, and some were even as large as anacondas. People, beasts, and _things_ darted madly between different parts of the hall, some getting or putting away tools and weapons, others using different monitors and projectors, some even repairing and healing injured and damaged soldiers or equipment.

One person, a fox with orange fur that wore a jumpsuit, started to talk with the princess. She listened, making several interruptions and motions, before cutting off the anthro fox with a wave of her hand.  
"Now is not the time for bickering, Mister McCloud, as you should plainly see, we have guests, and should not bother them with our problems."

The fox growled before trotting off, obviously annoyed at this interruption. Once he was gone, the princess stepped forward, and Begralo kneeled, as did most of the hall, except for three people: the other princess, the warrior in green, and Michael. Begralo spoke loudly, "All hail the leader of the land of Hyrule, the soon-to-be-queen of our lands! All hail the princess!"  
_'Princess Zelda.'_

Michael immediately recognized the princess in her garb, his thoughts a swirling torrent, _'This means that I really am in Hyrule.'_

Then Begralo noticed Michael standing and got him down to his knees, whispering in a hiss, "You idiot, bow before the princess!"

Zelda took another step forward, looking down at Michael, "Why have you come before me?"  
"You summoned me, princess Zelda."  
"You know of my name?"  
"Even where I come from, we have heard of the great princess Zelda and her hero, the one chosen by the three goddesses, the legendary Hero of Time."  
"So, I summoned you, correct?"  
"Yes, princess."  
"So you are the one who the man known as Raziel owes his life to, is that correct?"  
"Yes, princess."  
"Raziel, step forward."

Raziel came forth, walking on his own mostly, with a little help. The fox figure from before, McCloud, was helping him.  
"Is this the one who aided you on the battlefield, the one you were so adamant to have rewarded for his bravery?"

Raziel took only one glance at Michael before he confirmed it. "Yes, princess, that is the stranger who saved my life."

Zelda turned back to Michael, "Well, it seems that I and Raziel owe you a debt of gratitude for your selflessness, stranger. If what Raziel told me was true, you rescued him without a second thought, putting your own life on the line to keep him safe and alive. Is this true?"  
"Yes, princess, every word is true."  
"Very well, it seems that we do indeed owe you something for your selfless sacrifice. Step forward stranger."

Michael started to walk.

Michael slowly took the long path before him, making every step echo through the hallway as it quickly began to grow silent; all work pausing as he passed by, all the men, women, and beasts halting in place to look to him. As he walked, the growing silence made his footsteps seem to grow in volume. He moved with purpose, his shoulders level and his steps straight, looking like just another warrior off to receive his orders.

As he walked, the princess in black handed Zelda a small wooden box, which she took with delicate fingers. She seemed to cradle the box like a child, holding it with great care as if it held something of great importance and value.

Michael continued to walk the hall, slowly but surely approaching the princess. His mind was whirling as he took in some of the facts that the scenery provided. _'Mister McCloud, I know of only one anthro fox by the name of McCloud, well, two, but if he's who I think he is what is he doing in Hyrule? It makes no sense…'_

His attention was broken, his thread of thought pushed aside as he stopped before the princess. He kneeled down before her, and she touched his shoulder, "Rise, brave stranger."

Michael stood.  
"Stranger, I consider this an honor. It is with great esteem that I present to you a medal that has lain dormant in our family vault for ages. I am proud to present to you Farore's medal of courage. Wear it well."

She opened the box, and a green circle with a golden tri-force shaped triangle lay at the center, green fabric pinned to its back. She took the medal, handed the black princess the empty box, and then pinned the medal on Michael's t-shirt.  
"Stranger, I would like to ask you your name, so that we may appraise your deeds properly."

Michael sighed mentally, _'So much for anonymity. Well, since I know where I am using my real name won't hurt.'_

He inhaled deeply, "My name princess…"

"…is Michael."

Zelda nodded, "A fine name for a fine foreigner." Then she took his hand and raised it into the air, turning him to the hall. "All of you that stand here, in this hall, on this day, bear witness to this. I, princess Zelda, the ruler of Hyrule, the future queen of our land, award the brave foreigner Michael Farore's medal of courage, for his exemplary effort in the field of battle. Even though he did not live here, even though he did not join our forces, he chose to preserve another's life if it costs him his own, and has shown qualities that we only know exist in one other person, the Hero of Time. We therefore commend him for his efforts, and he shall be an example for all of us, an example of putting others before your own safety and wellbeing, of the right path to walk for all of us, an example of true heroism! Bow before Michael, the brave wanderer who saved a life without thought!"

The entire hall descended to its knees, even Begralo and Raziel did so, praising Michael for his courage all together, like an orchestra of voices, "Praise to the hero! Praise to his brave heart! Let he guide us down the road of honor!"

Michael blushed. "It was really nothing."  
"Nothing? You think nothing of that sort of sacrifice? Why?"  
"Well, because it was the right thing to do. Anyone would do it, right?"

Zelda nodded, "I suppose so, but I doubt a foreigner like you would just jump in to save someone for no reason."  
"I see no reason not to."

Then she sat down, "Your love of life astounds me. Tell me, do you have a home in your country?"  
"I'm actually pretty far, I have no idea where it is or how to get back. I can't even figure out how far it is to _get_ back."  
"Well then, it does not matter where you are from, you are home now."

Zelda stood, "From this moment on, I declare that the foreigner Michael is foreign no more. He is one of us, an honored Hylian, and will be treated as such."

Then she fell back into the chair, seeming to have exhausted the last of her energy. The black princess 'humph'ed, "I told you that you spent too much of your energy. I could have handled them. You need to rest and regain your strength, if you continue to keep going like this you are sure to kill yourself, Zelda."  
"I'm fine, Midna."  
_'Midna?! How is that possible?!'_

Midna waved it off, "You're lying, to me and to yourself. You need to get some rest right now."  
"I can't. Who else will lead Hyrule? I have no one to take my place, and I have to continue to work if we are to keep this fragile peace that we have. There have already been so many problems, if I let up now, who knows what might happen."  
"I can take care of things for you."  
"No Midna, I am staying here, at least until things calm down a bit."

Michael interjected, "Princess Zelda…"  
"Yes?"  
"I think you should listen to Midna. The way I hear it, if you keep going like this, you'll put Hyrule in an even worse situation than it already is."

Zelda stiffened, and the tension started to mount. Link and Midna scooted away from her, not wanting to be caught in the blast if her temper gave.  
"You say that I would put Hyrule in an even graver situation than it already is. How do you figure this? What logic supports your theory."  
"You'll leave Hyrule without a leader."

And just like that, her temper vanished. "Explain, quickly."  
"If you continue to push yourself, just as princess Midna said, you will die. And you said yourself you have no one to take your place. A small amount of rest will not hurt you, it will do you great good, and I doubt that Midna will topple an alliance in a few hours, though she might give it a try."

"Watch that tongue of yours, I might cut it out!" Then Zelda did the strangest thing. She laughed, and the mirth seemed to brighten her already charismatic aura and add color to her cheeks. "Thank you for the humorous and wise words of advice. I think that I shall retire. Midna, I place you in charge. Keep up the alliance, and don't let you know who push you around."

Midna bowed, and Zelda left. When she was gone, Midna gave Michael a glare. "What?" Then she sighed, "I suppose that makes her owe you twice."  
"What makes you say that?"  
"I couldn't get through that rock-skull of hers that she needs rest. Yet you come along, point a few things out, crack a joke and that stone skull falls right open. Perhaps it took a 'foreign' view of the conversation to get it into her head. She might actually want you as her advisor."

That didn't seem very good to Michael. "Could you do me two favors?"  
"Depends on what they are."  
"One, I need a horse. Doesn't have to be a fast horse, just has to be able to run for a good while."  
"Stamina over speed, I think I'm starting to like you. What's the second favor?"  
"If she wakes up wanting to offer me that position, tell her that I humbly decline, and that I decided to continue moving."  
"Once a drifter always a drifter, hmm?"  
"Not exactly…"

Michael's fist tightened, "I have to find out how to get home. The best chance I have is to travel, find as many people as I can that move vast distances, and see if they can help me."  
"I think you mean across dimensions."

Michael felt a shudder course through his body, and Link stood, grabbing for his sword, when Midna held up a hand and looked at him. He sat back down.  
"I'm not stupid, I can tell you aren't from anywhere in this world. You need to find your way home, and the more sources the better."  
"How did you guess?"  
"I can practically feel the effects of the magic on your body. It's not familiar to me, but it is powerful. Very powerful, that much I _can_ tell."  
"Are you going to tell the princess?"

She shook her head, "No. Consider the horse yours and I'll even cover for it. No one should be pulled from their home by force. You get going, you find your answers, and do me a favor since I'm helping you."  
"What is that?"  
"I can't help but see something in you, something really important. I get the distinct feeling that there is a reason you're here, and that we'll meet again. When we do, I want to know everything about where you came from."  
"Why not now?"

She smiled, "Because I have some duties to take care of and since we will be meeting again, I can wait for my answers. Now move it! Daphnes!"

A Hylian dressed like a servant came running, "Yes?"  
"Take this man to the stables and fit him with our longest running horse. Monsoon should do fine."  
"Yes, princess."

The pale and bald servant took Michael by the hand and led him off. Unknown to any of them, one mister McCloud was following them, moving like a ghost behind them, and had a few questions that he wanted to ask. If he didn't get the answers he wanted, well, he could find another way.

Once they got to the stables, Daphnes took Michael over to a beautiful gray stallion with a black mane. The horse seemed to shimmer where it moved, and looked downright gorgeous.  
"This is Monsoon. He's our best endurance horse."  
"Why do you call him monsoon?"  
"Because his run feels like it could go the length of one. Now get on!"

Just as Michael saddled the horse…  
"Don't move; stay right there, I have some questions."

Fox McCloud came out of the shadows, holding his blaster in one hand and a knife in the other. Michael put his hands behind his head, and Daphnes crouched down in fear.  
"You aren't going anywhere until you give me some answers."

Michael slowly got down from the horse, cursing his luck. _'Of all the people to catch me and threaten me at gunpoint, why oh why does it have to be HIM? I happen to LOVE the Star Fox series. Stupid karma._

He got out of the stable, Fox's gun never losing focus on his head. Once out, her turned, put his hands back behind his head, and sighed out loud.  
"What do you want to know?"  
"Everything. Where you came from, why you're here, how you came across Raziel. I get a bad feeling from you, and that's making me very suspicious about your origins. Start talking."

Michael took a moment to decide, _'Will he really believe me if I tell him? That gun of his isn't for show; I'm fairly familiar with that fact. Hey, if he's here, is his team here? Focus Michael, your life is on the line here! Well, I'm hoping that it can't hurt to spill the beans.'_

He looked Fox in the eye, "If I tell you, promise not to shoot me."  
"That's for me to decide. Now spill it!"

He took a deep breath. _'Okay, here goes my life.'_ Then he told him. He explained the portal, his time at college, his life back home, how he got where he was and how he rescued Raziel, everything. Well, he didn't mention all of this being from video games, but he did mention that he was a big fan of Star Fox and their work, which made Fox raise an eyebrow. As he explained, Fox asked a few clarifying questions, pointing out some errors or unusual pieces of his story, some things that didn't make sense, and those were explained to. The gun started to fall from its original angle, slowly but surely making its descent as Michael explained his story.

When he finished, Fox had his tail limp, and the gun was pointed at the ground. He seemed to be satisfied with the answers. But something didn't seem right. His right eyebrow was cocked, and he couldn't let Michael out of his gaze, like he was staring right into his soul.  
"So everything you said is true?"  
"Every word."  
"I find that hard to believe. Well, looking at you makes a good amount of it believable, but you put a very odd sensation in my gut, and I've learned to trust my gut. There's something not right about you."  
_'There's something not right about you being here!'_

Then Fox holstered his gun, "I suppose that will do for now. I will see you again, and when I do, I'll have some more questions. Be prepared for a long Q&A when we meet next time."  
"Maybe then you won't have to put a blaster in my face to talk to me."

He sniggered, "I'm starting to like you a little. Now get gone, and no one needs to hear about this, _right Daphnes_?"

Daphnes nodded hard and fast like his head was going to come off. With that, Michael mounted his horse. Fox kicked open the gate, and he was off.

(Song of the moment: Strength of a Thousand Men by Two Steps from Hell)

Michael spurred the horse into motion, riding like a grey storm spurred on by the wind, moving without any intention of stopping. The horse pounded on the dirt, driving its hooves into the ground, moving with heavenly grace and swift steps, carrying its charge across the plains. The wind whipping mane and hair, the rider not taking charge, but letting the horse take care of the guiding. Instinct took over, and now he was moving like he'd done this over a thousand times. He flew on the humps in the valley, and leaned into the turns as he dodged trees and debris in the path. He felt not like horse and rider, but one with the animal, a single creature that dominated the lands.

His will continued to make the horse duck and dodge around the scraps of the now long finished battle, his eyes so focused on the path before him he didn't even register the carnage of the fighting, or the smells of death and decay. He simply moved, his mind on naught but his goal: to find a way to get home, to survive, and to, if necessary, save the innocent lives that crossed his path.

He did not ride alone, however. A stray mechanical wolf caught his scent and started to chase him down. He looked back to see the iron beast on his tail, and spurred his horse faster, trying to stay ahead of the metal monster. With a swift turn, he turned around, causing the iron wolf to slide into a pile of sharp scrap metal, and then he made for the ice mountains. With the beast on his tail, having shaken the razor metal from its hide, it gave chase.

He made good time to the mountain, and started climbing the path, jumping across the frozen chunks of ice. The iron wolf matched him move for move, the cold calculation of its red eyes sending chills down Michael's spine. He quickly ascended the arctic road, and the metal monster followed suit. As it ascended with him, it began to slow down, the sheer cold causing the sensitive pieces to start to freeze and break. Oil drizzled out the ear, and the great metal beast came to a stop, the light in its eyes going out.

Satisfied with the death of the hunter, Michael turned back to his course. He ran down the mountain and back to the forest, hoping that he could find some answers. If this was Hyrule, why was Fox McCloud and, come to think of it, all those anthros and all that technology doing in an old time place like this? How did he end up here? Why did he end up here? And the most important question of them all…

How in the name of both heaven and hell would he get home again?

(End Song)


End file.
